Weapons with magazines of the turret-type have been provided heretofore in a variety of configurations, the most well known of which is the hand-held revolver. In this type of weapon, the magazine is capable of receiving a plurality of rounds in a drum which is rotatable to successively align the round-receiving chambers with a barrel. In such systems, each chamber forms the firing chamber of the weapon in succession and the round can consist of a casing or shell from which the bullet or slug is ejected by the firing of a charge behind the bullet. The shell remains in the chamber and is moved out of alignment with the barrel as the next round is aligned therewith.
Such systems are also known in hand-held rifle configurations and mention may also be made of drum-type automatic weapons in which the cartridges are displaced by a drum past the barrel at a high rate. In the latter configuration, the shells may be ejected from the weapon.
None of these systems have been found to be practical for fin-stabilized projectiles of for field weapons such as artillery.
However, the German open application, (Offenlegungsschrift) DT-OS No. 15 78 170 describes a magazine and a loading device for a field grenade thrower in which six rounds may be received in a drum-type magazine which is so constructed and arranged that the drum carries the round into alignment with the discharging tube and is advanced into the latter by an ejector. From the magazine tube, the round is carried by a transport chain into the weapon barrel which can be swung from a recumbent position for leading into an inclined position for firing.
The spatial requirements of such a system are such that the assembly cannot readily be carried by an armored vehicle or used as a tank mortar in mobile field artillery.
It should also be noted that this system and the earlier magazine weapon systems described above do not encounter the problem involved in the provisions of a magazine for the firing of rounds in a gas-type connection between the magazine and the barrel.
Such problems arise in mortar configurations of field artillery if fin-stabilized projectiles are to be fired through the barrel.
In German patents DT-PS Nos. 1 151 451 and 1 219 828, for example, there are disclosed conventional gas-type barrel closures which require transversely subdivided barrels with swingable barrel halves to accomplish a gas-type connection with the round-receiving chamber so as to create a gas-tight communication between the round-receiving chamber and the barrel.
Thus, it can be stated that, in general, the problem of providing a tank-type mortar which is capable of being mounted on an armored vehicle, or, more particularly, on a readily movable or self-propelled platform and can be provided with a magazine for the successive firing of a plurality of rounds has not been solved heretofore.